Breathe: Stories from Cuba

Breathe is a film that explores the heart of Fidel Castro-era Cuba, offering an outsiders look balanced by empathy to illuminate truths between propaganda and Western media portrayals. The protagonists in Swimming, Taxi, Sabbatical, Siempre Luchando, I Never See Them Cry, and The Party desire the indulgences their countries offer, while romantic liaisons weather or buckle under the strain of mundane cultural assumptions. Luca's Trip to Havana is undercut by the subtle yet intense lust of Breathe, and Leaving Cuba is as eloquently balanced a tale of everyday Cubans as you will read.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 134 pages
Publication date: 25 May 2023
Publisher: Flipped Eye Publishing Limited

Breathe delves into the heart of Fidel Castro's Cuba, offering a balanced perspective from an outsider's viewpoint, complemented by a deep sense of empathy to uncover the truths hidden between the island's propaganda and the Western media's skewed portrayals. The protagonists in Swimming, Taxi, and Sabbatical, for example, seem to yearn for the indulgences their countries offer, while simultaneously praising Cubans for their more temperate lifestyles. In Siempre Luchando, I Never See Them Cry, and The Party, romantic liaisons face the challenges of mundane cultural assumptions, while Luca's Trip to Havana is juxtaposed with the subtle yet intense lust of Breathe. The closing image of Havana's night sky in Leaving Cuba is as eloquently balanced a tale of the lives of everyday Cubans as one is likely to read, regardless of the path chosen. Cuban writer Aida Bahr aptly describes Segal's portrayal as relying more on subtleties than drama, capturing the tensions, struggles, and joys that fill Cubans' lives.

Dimension: 198 x 129 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781905233663
Edition number: Special ed